From SMWC Media Relations
WEST TERRE HAUTE — As far as football games go, Saturday’s homecoming contest between two 3-0 Midwest Sprint Football League teams in front of 800-plus fans at Jay Barrett Field nearly had it all.
Game-tying field goals in the fourth quarter. A game-winning field goal attempt going wide right. Heroic efforts. Statistical performances among the greatest in sprint football history.
A dramatic finish in double overtime.
And as the SMWC cheer team, making its SMWC athletics debut, chanted, lots of O-F-F-E-N-S-E.
From the perspective of SMWC coach Blaine Powell, most of those items listed worked in the Pomeroys’ favor. But the Pomeroys also had a few too many penalties and mistakes, allowing Bellarmine to sneak out a 56-50 victory in double overtime. Brendan Reid’s 9-yard run in the second overtime proved to be the difference.
“You’ve got to learn from it, you’ve got to get better from it. We’ve got a very talented group. Some things showed up today that will help us going forward,” Powell said.
Quarterback Jeremiah Tosky threw for 419 yards, the third best passing yardage performance in sprint football history, with six touchdowns – second best in sprint football history.
Tosky’s receiving corps made outstanding catches with precise route running and piled up yards after the catch with tough running.
Carlos Munoz Jr. had a school-record 11 receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Devron Johnson had five receptions for 112 yards. Calvin Jasey had five receptions for 92 yards and three touchdowns. Corbyn Cleveland chipped in four catches for 67 yards.
SMWC was penalized 12 times for 172 yards and lost four fumbles.
“We felt good about what we had going. Turnovers, we gave them too many points. Turnovers and penalties, it’s as simple as that. You have to start at the top with that. Getting people in the right spots. Those are things that I guarantee will be cleaned up,” Powell said.
Johnson’s 21-yard catch in the end zone in the first quarter was the first TD of the night. Patrick Perea busted loose on a 53-yard run to set up the only score of the opening 15 minutes.
SMWC went into halftime with a 15-13 lead as the Knights were able to drive 56 yards in under three minutes to close the first half with a passing touchdown by Luke Worley.
Both teams came out of the halftime locker room making big plays.
Tosky hit Jasey for a 41-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage in the second half.
Four plays later Bellarmine was in the end zone as Worley found Tyler Smith for a completion of 32 yards, setting up a 17-yard TD.
Following one of four fumbles lost by the Pomeroys on the night, the Knights took their first lead, 27-22, on a pass from Worley to Smith.
Reid’s first TD of the night put Bellarmine ahead 34-22, and the teams continued to race up and down the field. The Knights led 40-28 with 2:37 left in the third quarter.
Tosky, who also ran for 40 yards and a touchdown, led SMWC down the field in one minute with completions to Munoz, Cleveland and Jasey before a five-yard TD pass to Jasey.
SMWC retook the lead early in the fourth quarter after the defense forced a punt, with a 43-yard reception by Cleveland sparking the drive. Cleveland caught the 2-point conversion after Tosky’s three-yard rushing TD. SMWC’s 43-40 lead was short-lived, however.
Bellarmine kicker Caiden Mellecker drilled a 43-yard field goal to tie the score.
Derron Hazzard gave the Pomeroys strong field position with a 40-yard kickoff return, and the Pomeroys found paydirt a few plays later when Munoz Jr. carried multiple defenders on his back into the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown play.
The SMWC defense held strong, but the Pomeroys misplayed a punt to set up the Knights for a tying score.
Both offenses came up short in the first overtime. SMWC drove inside the 10-yard line but a 4th down halfback pass was incomplete. An unsportsmanlike conduct flag allowed Bellarmine to start its game-winning drive at the 12-yard line, setting up Reid’s game-winning TD run.
SMWC freshman and 2023 Sullivan High School grad, Josh Wence recorded eight total tackles, while Golden Arrow alums Carter McKee and Jake Skinner had a trio of tackles apiece.
SMWC (3-1) plays host to Quincy University on Saturday.
